Dry pipe valve



June 24, 1930. w.K. HODGMAN,` JR 1,757,129

` DRY PIPE VALVE Filed June 29, 19.27

MJ Aiwa Patented June 24, 1930 LJN-Irren STATE-5f x; nommer, ne.,y or munten, `missie" :inrsnft"rs This invention relates to" dry pipe valves and has-for its general'obj ect to improve dry pipe valves inV the particulars hereinafter set forth.; 4

In a dry pipe val-ve embodying my invention the Water valve and the air valve are independently pivoted on opposite' sides of the Waterway andvv'vhen the va-lves are closed the air valve bears directly on the Water valve, the said VWater val-ve being.` loosely connectedto its supporting arm in such a Way that no part of the pressureV of the a-ir valve is taken by the arm, the entire pressure of the' air valve com-ing directly on the Water valve; A Y y A further feature of the inventi'onrelates to a novel form of latch for holding the Water valve o 11;.

, The drawing illustrates a sectional vie'W through the dry pipe val-ve embodying my invention. v Y,

The valve hereinshowncomprises a cas-V ing l having an inlet 2 and an' outlet 2T, saidinlet and outlet beingI connected by a Water- Way as usual in dry pipe valves. This Waterway is adapted' to be closed by both a Water valve 3 and an air valve 4, the Water valve beingadaptedi to seat on a valve' seat 5 at the end of theinlet; 2 ain-dthe air valve having the usual flexible peripheral flange 6 which is adapted to seat on an air' valve seat 7 which is shown as' set obliquelyl across-V the Waterway. l p

The air valve 4 is carried by an arm 8 which isfpivotallymounted in the casi-ng atl 9 so that-the valve may svvingfrom closedto open position as shown by fulll and dotted linesin the drawing. I

The Water valvel 3 is carried by another arm 10 which ispivotally mounted at llfon the opposite sideI ofthe Waterway so that When thev dry pipe valve trips the vvater valveandair valve swing: in opposite direc-Il tions andtake positions on'opposite sides ofthe Waterway' asv shown by dotted lines.

19217: snat Nox-f 202,435'.

The casing l is provided With they usual neutral chamber 20 between the water valve andl air valve and which is provided With a drain` port 28 adapted to be closedV by a drip valve 24 that isl normally held open so long as thel Water valve is closed but which is closedwhen the Water valve opens all as usual infdry pipeyalves. A

One feature of the present invention relates to a construction by which When the valves are closedthe air valve 4 bears directly on the Watervalve 3, the: entire pres'- sure on the air valve being transmit-ted to the water valve and none ofthe'- pressure being transmitted or taken by the armlO or its pivot 11. To accomplish this end the Water valve 3 is provided with' a stem-Q12 which extends loosely through an opening 13 in the horizontal portion 14 off the arm 10, the opening 13 preferably being .ap'preciably larger than the stem 12'l so that 'the latter may have a certain amount ofmove' ment in the aperture, Thefstem 12 projects above the :horizontal portion 14l of` the arm 10 andthe air valve 4 is proyidedat its' under face with an e-itension 15' Whichrests directlyon the upper end ofthe stem.; Said stem' l2 is provided ,With aV pinl 16 which is situated aj-bovel the armv 10 and; preventsithe Water valve'from' becoming detached from the ermf- Y With this arrangement when the' valves are closedf'theair valve bears directly on the stem 12 of the vvaterlvalve and the entire pressure on the air valve isi thus taken by the Water valve, none of said pressure being transmitted t'o the arm 10 or toy its pivot bearing l1v because of theloosefit between the stem 12- and the armj10. This loose lit is notonlyhin va lateral direction but' also in a vertical direction since there is more orless' play, between the pin liand the topof the horizontal portion` 14 of the arm 10, y The Water valve 3 is thus loosely connected to the arm 10 insuc-h a Way as to permit a limited :tree relative movement between the valve and the arm 10 in any direction lateral to the axis of the valve as well as in a direction in the line of said axis. With this construction the pressure on the air valve is transmitted directly to the Water valve independently of the arm 10, the function of the latter being principally to guide the water valve in its opening movement. An advantage resulting from this structure is that the `water valve will always be properly seated even though the bearings for the arm 10 may not be perfectly aligned and, therefore, less precision is required in the mounting of the firm 10 than would be the case if the water valve were tixedly'carried by the arm orV if the pressure of the air valve was transmitted to the water valve through the arm.

Another feature ot' the invention relates Io the construction involved in latching the lcrater valve in open position. The arm 10 has a locking latch 29 pivotally mounted thereon, said latch being carried by a rock shaft 17 which is journalled in the arm, said veel; shaft having a weight 18 fast thereon.'

lhis latch is adapted to co-operate with an abutment 19 which is rigid with the casing 1 and projects into the neutral chamber 20.

YWhen the water valve is closed the latch is retained in full line position by. the weight 18, said latch at this time resting against the stop 21 which is carried by the arm 10. As the Water valve swings into open position the nose 22 of the latch strikes the corner 23 of the abutment and as the valve completes its opening movement the latch will be turned anti-clockwise by its engagement 'with the abutment until the arm 10 has been carried to a position where the latch will wipe under the abutment. As soon as this position has been reached the weight 18 will swing the latch into its operative position shown in dotted lines thus bringing the nose 22 thereof beneath the under :tace of the abutment, the latch at this time' resting against the stop 21. Then in this position the latch will by its engagement with the abutment prevent the Water valve from closing as will be obvious.

The neutral chamber 2O is provided vwith the usual drip valve 24 which is held open so long as the water valve and air valve are closed but which is automatically closed when the water valve' opens. This drip valve is shown as connected to an arm 25 pivotally mounted on the pivot pin 11 and said arm has an upstanding finger 26 adapted to engage a lug 27 extending from the arm 10. rIhese parts are so arranged that when the water valve is closed the engagement of the finger 26 with the lug 27 will hold the drip valve open but as soon as the water valve opens the drip valve is allowed to close.

l claim:

1. In a dry pipe valve, a casing having a waterway, aV pivotally-mounted air valve adapted to close the waterway, a water valve also adapted to close the waterway, said air valve and water valve being provided with co-operating portions which directly engage each other when the valves are closed, and a swinging arm pivotally mounted in the case ing and loosely connected to the water valve to permit limited tree movement between the valve and the arm in any direction transverse to the axis of the valve, the pressure on the air valve being transmitted directly to the water valve independently of said arm through said cooperating portions, and said arm functioning merely as a means to guide the water valve in `its opening movement, which is in a direction different from that of the air valve.

2.111 adry. pipe valve, a casing having a waterway, a pivotally-mounted air valve adapted to close the waterway, a water valve also adapted to close the waterway and provided with an upstanding stem, said air valve having a portion which directly engages said stem when the valves are closed, a swinging arm Vpivoted to the casing and provided with an opening larger than said stem and through which the latter extends, and means to prevent the stem from being withdrawn from the aperture, the pressure on the air valve being transmitted directly to the water valve through said stem independently of the arm and the latter functioning merely as a means to guide the water valve in its opening movement, which is in a direction different from that of the air valve.

3. ln a dry pipe valve, a casing having a waterway, a water valve adapted to close said waterway, a pivoted arm by which the water valve is carried, an air valve constructed to bear directly on the water valve when the valves are closed, a weighted latch pivoted to said arm, and an abutment carried by the casing and so situated that when the water valve is moved into open position the latch will engage the abutment and by reason ot its pivotal mounting will turn against the influence of its weight to a position where it will pass under the abutment, the weighted portion of the latch then automatically swinging it into operative position in which it co-operates with the abutment to lock the water valve open.

4. In a dry pipe valve, a casing having a waterway, a pivotally-mounted air valve adapted to close the waterway, a water valve also adapted to close the waterway, said air valve and water valve being provided with co-operating portions which directly engage each other when the valves are closed, a swinging arm which is separate from the water valve and is pivotally mounted in the casing and is loosely connected to the water valve to permit limited free movement between the valve and arm in directions both lill) transverse and parallel to the axis of the valve, the pressure on the air valve being transmitted directly to the Water valve independently of said arm through said oo-operating portions, and said arm functioning merely as a means to guide the Water valve in its opening movement which is in a direction different from that of the air valve.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

WILLIS K. HODGMAN,JR. 

